Schilling’s Pitch for ALS

By Brendon Rosenau
Love of Sports Correspondent

Curt Schilling has certainly had his share of media attention over the years.

In fact, some would say Schilling’s a media hound. The Big Schill has never been one to keep his opinions to himself, whether they involve pitching, his team, his sport or any other topic.

It seems like whenever Schilling says something, it gains national attention. When he called out Barry Bonds, he was all over ESPN. When he had his disagreement with the front office this year, it was breaking news. Sadly, though, his most important contribution has gone mostly unnoticed.

Curt’s Pitch for ALS was developed way back in 1993 when Schilling was a starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. Upon a visit with Dick Bergeron, an ALS patient, Schilling and his wife Shonda where so moved by Bergeron’s courageous battle they felt the desire to do something positive.

ALS stands for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and is more commonly called Lou Gehrig’s disease. It’s one that affects both the brain and the spinal cord. It’s extremely progressive and eventually leads to all the neurons, from the brain to the spinal cord to the muscles, costing those parts of the body the ability to function. Eventually, people become paralyzed and lose the ability to speak and breathe, which becomes a fatal condition. Most patients die within 2-5 years of diagnosis, and tragically there is no known cause or cure.

Schilling and his wife are troubled by this and are doing their best to fund research and development of this fatal disease.

The foundation has raised millions of dollars in the past and is continuing to do so. Schilling has pledged money throughout his career based on his personal performances, such as all his strikeouts and wins, and donors are encouraged to pledge with incentives based on the amount they give. Some of the incentives include a dinner reception with the Schillings and autographed memorabilia.

This year, Schilling’s been sidelined with an injury, but he hasn’t let that have a negative effect on the charity. He’s turned to teammate, playoff hero Josh Beckett, for help. Each time Beckett records a win or strikeout, money is going towards research. Each win sends $1,000 to the chapter, while a strikeout garners $100. Also helping the cause are fellow major league pitchers Brandon Webb, Cole Hamels and Daisuke Matsuzaka.

Webb’s contributions got to the Arizona chapter, Hamels to the Philadelphia chapter and Dice-K’s to the Japanese chapter. So far this season, the four have raised $51,900. All the money comes from Schilling himself.

Schilling may have rubbed some people the wrong way in the past, but you have to admire someone who’s put so much time and dedication into such a worthy cause.

ALS is a horrible disease. The scariest part about it is that every one of us, and our loves ones, regardless of who we are or what we do, are susceptible to it. Keep that in mind the next time No. 38 takes the hill. One win may not mean a lot in the standings, but it gives someone with ALS a fighting chance.

To find out more about Curt’s Pitch for ALS, Click Here.